Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University (TNJFU) has established an aquafeed extrusion mill at Muttukadu, Tamil Nadu, to produce cost effective local feeds for tilapia and pangasius.
The newly established feedmill is equiped to produce 100-150 kg/hr floating feed and 400-500 kg/hr sinking feeds. The floating feed production line includes hammer mill, pulveriser, mixer, pre-conditioner with extruder, dryer, shifter, oil coater and other accessories. The sinking feed production line includes pelletizer, post conditioner, dryer, cooler, siever, crumbler and accessories like conveyors and elevators. Hammer mill, pulveriser and mixer are common for both production lines.
The *Rs 3.98 crore $551, 230 has been established to develop new cost efficient feed technologies and formulations that will be disseminated to fish famers for preparing their own on-farm feed, which will be much cheaper than commercial feeds available on the market. MoUs will be signed with fishers, farmers and new feed mill companies to transfer the technologies.
Indian aquaculture is growing rapidly and feed accounts for up to 60 per cent of total operating costs. Aqua farmers generally purchase fish feeds from feed companies without understanding their quality. Since confidence in the nutritional information on any feed or feed ingredient provided by suppliers is critical for buyers, laboratory services are critical to make sure that feeds contain the required amounts of all dietary nutrients and have no contaminants, adulterants, antibiotics or any other prohibited materials.
The Institute of Fisheries Post Graduate Studies (IFPGS), TNJFU – OMR Campus, Vaniyanchavadi, Chennai, operating under NJFU has established the “State Referral Laboratory for Fish Feed Testing and Quality Certification” The facility was inaugurated by Prof. S. Felix, Vice-chancellor of TNJFU. Prof. Felix emphasised that this lab will serve the need of fish farmers, researchers and feed manufacturers of Tamil Nadu at a nominal charge.
Along with the instruments for proximate analysis, sophisticated instruments such as Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and Gas Chromatography (GC) are also available for the quantitative evaluation of minerals, heavy metals, vitamins, amino acids and fatty acids present in the fish feed and fish feed ingredients.
*Aprrox. US$ 551,230.00
